R 131204Z APR 21
MARADMIN 200/21
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2022 ENLISTED RETENTION CAMPAIGN//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/CMC MMEA/20100908//
NARR/REF A IS MCO 1040.31, ENLISTED RETENTION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT//
POC/R. MCCLAM/COL/MMEA/TEL: 703-784-9216/EMAIL: REGINALD.MCCLAM@USMC.MIL//
POC/C. MARTIN/MAJ/MMEA-1/TEL: 703-432-9124/EMAIL: CORBETT.B.MARTIN@USMC.MIL//
POC/S. ROBERTS/MGYSGT/MMEA-1/TEL: 703-432-9125/EMAIL: STEPHEN.ROBERTS@USMC.MIL//
POC/B. KIRALY/CAPT/MMEA OPERATIONS/TEL: 703-784-9217EMAIL: BRIAN.KIRALY@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  The Marine Corps will execute the Fiscal Year2022 (FY22) Enlisted Retention Campaign through a decentralized-execution, centralized-oversight process.  As the service headquarters builds increased partnership with the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) and Supporting Establishment (SE) to meet the retention goals of the service, this message’s purpose is to synchronize the FMF and SE actions with service headquarters retention processes.  Commanders and staffs at all levels play a critical role in affecting the retention of Marines across all military occupational specialties (MOS), grades, and levels of experience.  The Marine Corps’ primary enlisted career force objectives are to retain the most qualified force by grade and military occupational specialty (MOS) and to support the staffing of all authorized career force billets.  The FY22 Enlisted Retention Campaign begins on 7 July 2021.
1.a.  As a tool for O-5 and O-6 level Commanders to use in preparation for the FY22 Enlisted Retention Campaign, CMC(MMEA) has produced the “Commander’s Retention Toolkit” which is available on the MMEA-1 Website at https:(slash)(slash)www.manpower.usmc.mil/webcenter/portal/ER/pages_home.  The toolkit is also available through the points of contact for this message.
1.b.  Throughout the FY22 Enlisted Retention Campaign, CMC(MMEA) will work alongside the FMF and SE to conduct synchronized actions through various retention programs that seek to meet the intent of the campaign.
1.c.  The service desires to retain Marines who demonstrate our high standards of performance.  Highly qualified Marines (Tier I-IV) are those that meet all of the reenlistment prerequisites highlighted in Chapter 4 of the reference, including maintaining high standards of professional competence, leadership, and personal behavior.  Eminently qualified Marines (Tier I-II), for the purposes of retention, exceed the standards in all competitive metrics such as performance, physical fitness, warfighting skills, intellectual agility, and leadership.
2.  Detailed FY22 Enlisted Retention submission guidelines for the First Term Alignment Plan (FTAP) and Subsequent Term Alignment Plan (STAP) will be published in June 2021 via the Total Force Retention System (TFRS) and available for download from the MMEA-1 website under the references section.  Additionally, in FY22 the service will execute three expanded retention programs, the Command Retention Mission, Delegation of Retention Authority, and Early Reenlistment Authority to maximize the retention of highly qualified Marines.
2.a.  The Command Retention Mission will assign goals to each MSC for reenlistment across all FTAP and STAP primary MOSs.  CMC(MMEA) will assign a mission to every Major Subordinate Command (MSC) based on each units’ eligible population.  The goal will reflect a proportional share of the boatspaces aligned with the proportion of the eligible MOS population assigned to the command.  For example, if MSC A has 10 percent of the eligible 0311 Marines assigned to their command, MSC A’s mission will be to fill 10 percent of the available boatspaces.  All Marines, regardless of Tier evaluation, who reenlist will count towards a MSC’s mission.
2.a.1.  The Command Retention Mission will apply to every MOS in both the FY22 FTAP and STAP cohorts.  The service’s requirement is to fill every boatspace for each FTAP and STAP MOS with the highest quality Marine.  As a MOS reaches 100 percent execution of all of the available boatspaces, all commands will be relieved of their mission for that MOS.
2.a.2.  FY23 Marines who reenlist through the Early Reenlistment Authority account for a FY23 boatspace, so commands will receive credit towards their FY23 Command Retention Mission.  However, Marines who are approved for a FY22 reenlistment or a FY23 early reenlistment, but subsequently decline to reenlist, will not count towards a command’s mission.
2.b.  From 7 July 2021 through 15 September 2021, the Delegation of Retention Authority and the Early Reenlistment Authority programs will target eminently qualified FY22 and FY23 FTAP Marines for reenlistment.  The Delegation of Retention Authority is a tool for Commanding Generals to select and approve Marines for reenlistment.  The Early Reenlistment Authority is a CMC(MMEA) tool, executed with FMF and SE partnership, to select Marines early in their career for continued service.  Commands are encouraged to use a Marine’s Junior Enlisted Performance Evaluation System (JEPES) scores or their Commander’s evaluated Tier to determine their top performing Marines.  Under the Delegation of Retention Authority program, CMC(MMEA) authorizes MSC CGs to approve a set number of reenlistments for eminently qualified FTAP Marines assigned to their command.  The specific quantities of delegated boatspaces will be released via TFRS upon release of the FY22 Boatspace Report in June 2021.  Under Early Reenlistment Authority, CMC(MMEA) will approve up to 200 eminently qualified FY23 FTAP Marines, in any FTAP MOS, for reenlistment.  Eminently qualified Marines should reflect the highest performance in critical attributes such as MOS proficiency, physical fitness, warfighting skills, and conduct and should be Tier I-II Marines.  The advantage of retaining Marines through the Delegation of Retention Authority and Early Reenlistment Authority is that these hand-selected Marines will not have to compete with their peers for a boatspace on the Enlisted Career Retention Boards (ECRB) in October 2021.  Tier III and Tier IV Marines are eligible to be retained through reenlistment submissions to CMC(MMEA), the Commanding General's Retention Program, and are eligible to compete on an ECRB for their MOS.
2.c.  It is imperative to understand, at all levels, that boatspaces for an MOS are a fixed quantity and due diligence should be exercised when evaluating Marines’ competitiveness for reenlistment.
3.  However, every Marine, regardless of perceived competitiveness, is highly encouraged to submit for retention.  Each member of the chain of command, from unit leaders to service headquarters, play a role in making a "whole Marine concept" determination of quality in the retention decision.  In all MOSs, but especially in Fast-Filling MOSs (FFM), a comprehensive review of Marines competing for boatspaces must be conducted in order to select the most qualified.  As such, the value of comments from Commanders and Senior Enlisted leaders cannot be overstated.  An FFM is any MOS that receives more submissions for reenlistment than there are available boatspaces.  For competitive FFMs, an ECRB comprised of senior enlisted Marines from the FMF and SE, will determine those Marines who will receive a boatspace in their primary MOS.
4.  Concept of operations for FTAP and STAP is as follows:
4.a.  The FTAP retention effort will be conducted in two phases:
4.a.1.  Phase I:  Phase I begins 7 July 2021.  The purpose of Phase I is to provide every eligible Marine the opportunity to submit for reenlistment.  Moreover, this period is the premier window to get as many qualified Marines to seek reenlistment.  CMC(MMEA) will assign each MSC a retention mission through the FY22 Command Retention Mission no later than June 2021.  Commands should utilize the Command Retention Mission to assist in formulating initial retention goals at the unit level.  CMC(MMEA) highly encourages commands to utilize the Commander’s Retention Toolkit to assist in building and executing a quality retention framework.
4.a.2.  Duty Station Incentives (DSI) are in effect for all FTAP Marines, regardless of MOS during  this phase.  A DSI contractually obligates CMC(MMEA) to assign a Marine to a geographic duty station in their top three choices.  If a valid billet is not available at one of the Marine’s duty station preferences, or the Marine has not met Time-on-Station requirements to PCS, the Marine may request a Deferred Duty Station Option as their DSI.  The deferment will remain a part of the Marine’s new contract.  Fiscal incentives are also available to a variety of MOSs each fiscal year.  These fiscal incentives, under the Selective Retention Bonus Program (SRBP), are published by Manpower Plans annually in June.  The FY22 SRBP will be released via MARADMIN in June 2021.
4.a.3.  During this phase, Marines who have an Expiration of Current Contract (ECC) in FY23 may request reenlistment under the Early Reenlistment Authority Program.  Additionally, MSC Commanding Generals may execute approvals of FY22 reenlistments under the Delegation of Retention Authority.  Marines reenlisting under these programs must meet all reenlistment prerequisites in order to qualify.
4.a.4.  CMC(MMEA) will conduct virtual or in person Key Leader Engagements (KLE) with MSCs in order to receive feedback and address concerns from the FMF and SE.  East coast KLEs were conducted 15 to 19 March, overseas KLEs were conducted from 29 March to 2 April, and west coast KLEs will be conducted from 10 to 20 May.  During the months of July through August, CMC(MMEA) will be conducting a virtual assignments roadshow with major Marine Corps installations.  During these roadshows, CMC(MMEA) may approve on-the-spot reenlistments of highly qualified Marines based on a percentage of the total MOS population on each installation against the MOS boatspace requirement.  Marines that fall into a FFM MOS should expect a prolonged response for retention consideration (e.g. a RELM submitted in July 2021 will not get a decision from HQMC until Nov-Dec 2021) due the FTAP ECRB being executed in October 2021.  Phase I ends on 30 September 2021.
4.b.  Phase II:  Phase II begins 1 October 2021.  The purpose of Phase II is to hold the ECRB for all FTAP MOSs that become FFMs during Phase I.  During this phase, CMC(MMEA) will assess the progress of the FY22 Command Retention Mission, make required adjustments, refine guidance, and continue processing retention requests.  CMC(MMEA) will conduct an In Progress Review (IPR) to assess each MSCs retention mission assigned in the Command Retention Mission on or about 15 December 2021.  CMC(MMEA) will process FTAP reenlistment requests received after 30 September 2021 based on boatspace availability and Command Retention Mission progress for each MSC.  Phase II ends on 30 September 2022.
4.b.1.  The FY22 FTAP ECRB will include increased representation from the FMF and SE.  The board will consist of 15 voters, 12 representing the FMF and SE, as well as three fixed voters from CMC(MMEA).  The board will commence in October 2021 and will choose primary and alternate selections for boatspaces.  As a new aspect of manpower modernization, the ECRB will be conducted virtually utilizing the Digital Boardroom and Microsoft Teams programs, allowing FMF and SE voters to participate as a board member from their home station.  Solicitation for FMF and SE voters will be released via separate correspondence.
4.b.2.  Requests that require a Commanding General’s endorsement/waiver per ref (a) will be held for further determination until Phase II.  A positive Commanding General’s endorsement affords the Marine an opportunity to compete on a FTAP ECRB, but does not automatically mean the Marine will be selected for a boatspace.
4.b.3.  Upon completion of the FTAP ECRB, commands will be notified of approvals via the approved reenlistment returned to the command via the Total Force Retention System and individual Marines will receive an approval notification through the notifications function of their Marine Online account.  This new initiative for notification allows Marines and the command to more adequately plan their futures and manage their expectations.  The ECRB will select the highest quality Marines for a boatspace, regardless of the Command Retention Mission progress.  Once an MOS has executed all available boatspaces selected by the ECRB, CMC(MMEA) will not hold any command accountable for their mission for that MOS under the Command Retention Mission if the ECRB voters did not select their Marines for a boatspace.
4.b.4.  After the FTAP ECRB has concluded and boatspaces have been filled for all MOSs, CMC(MMEA) will open the Quality Marine Identification (QMI) program in December 2021.  The QMI program allows the service to retain uniquely qualified, Tier I-III FTAP Marines who did not receive a boatspace in the FY22 cohort.  Further details, including boatspace limits and processing guidelines, regarding the FY22 QMI program will be developed upon completion of the FTAP ECRB and will be published no later than December 2021.
4.c.  Critical MOSs that are eligible for lateral move submissions will be published by CMC(MMEA) via the FY22 Enlisted Retention submission guidelines.  Lateral move submissions for critical FTAP MOSs begin on 7 July 2021.  Prior Service Enlistment Program (PSEP) submissions begin on 1 November 2021.
4.d.  Focused Retention Assist Visits (RAV) may be requested to assist commands with retention in specific MOSs beginning in September 2021.  RAVs must be requested by commands to (CMC)MMEA preferably a minimum of 30 days prior to the requested visit.  Service travel restrictions and budgetary pressures may impact the ability to execute RAVs.  These focused visits will be available in September 2021, January-February 2022, and April 2022.  CMC(MMEA) strongly recommends that MSCs coordinate RAV requested visits across each MEF to ensure efficiency since the RAV execution windows are limited due to MMEAs ECRB preparation, execution, and assignment timelines.  Units should submit all RAV requests through the MMEA Operations Section listed in the points of contact of this message.
4.e.  CMC(MMEA) anticipates a final FTAP assessment will be conducted on or about 1 June 2022.  The final assessment will be used to make improvements to the retention process for the following year.
5.  The STAP retention effort will be conducted in two phases:
5.a.  Phase I:  This phase is the prescribed submission window for STAP Marines and begins 7 July 2021 and ends on 30 November 2021.  The purpose of Phase I is to provide an opportunity for all eligible Career Marines to submit for reenlistment.  On a case-by-case basis, CMC(MMEA) may approve reenlistments during this phase.  During Phase I, CMC(MMEA) begins to assess the competitiveness of the STAP population.  CMC(MMEA) will publish a list of MOSs, prior to the start of Phase 1, that are anticipated to become FFMs based on historical trends.  During Phase I, CMC(MMEA) may process and approve certain high performing Marines, as indicated by the Marine’s service record, for reenlistment based on the needs of the Marine Corps.  These approvals will not exceed 30 percent of the total FY22 MOS boatspace requirement for historical FFMs, and 50 percent for all other MOSs prior to executing an STAP ECRB.  These approvals ensures that Marines in receipt of orders to critical billets are able to gain the obligated service necessary to execute their orders to prevent gaps in critical commands.  Approvals will be based on the overall performance of the individual Marine and their competitiveness for future service.
5.a.1.  Marines who do not submit a request for further service by the submission deadline convey their intent to exit the Marine Corps at their current EAS.  This does not apply to Marines who are unable to submit for reasons beyond their control; e.g. service limits, medical, and legal.  Marines who are unable to submit for reasons beyond their control may be approved based on boatspace availability for their MOS or may be afforded the opportunity to extend their contract into a future fiscal year.
5.a.2.  Requests that require a Commanding General endorsement/waiver per the reference will be held for further determination until Phase II.  A positive CG’s endorsement affords the Marine an opportunity to compete on a STAP ECRB, but does not automatically mean the Marine will be approved for reenlistment.  Phase I ends on 30 November 2021.
5.b.  Phase II:  Phase II begins 1 December 2021.  CMC(MMEA) will focus effort during this phase on the execution of the FY22 STAP ECRB and the adjudication of other retention requests.  CMC (MMEA) will assess the progress of the FY22 retention effort, including the STAP Command Retention Mission, and continue processing retention requests submitted after the 30 November 2021 deadline.  Retention determinations for requests submitted during this phase are made based on the needs of the Marine Corps.
5.b.1.  During this phase, CMC(MMEA) will conduct an STAP ECRB, similar to the FTAP ECRB, for all MOSs that became FFMs during Phase I.  The boards will consist of 12 voters representing the FMF and SE, as well as three fixed voters from CMC (MMEA).  Like FTAP, the board will be conducted for all FFMs in a virtual manner utilizing the Digital Boardroom and Microsoft Teams.  The board voters will evaluate each Marine for competitiveness for reenlistment and determine the primary recipients of boatspaces within each MOS.  Solicitation for FMF and SE voters will be released via separate correspondence.  Upon completion of the STAP ECRB, CMC(MMEA) will notify commands of approvals via the approved reenlistment in TFRS and individual Marines will be receive a notification through their Marine Online account.  This new initiative for notification allows Marines and the command to more adequately plan their futures and manage their expectations.  The ECRB will select the highest quality Marines for a boatspace, regardless of the Command Retention Mission progress.
5.b.2.  After the STAP ECRB has concluded and boatspaces have been filled for all STAP MOSs, CMC(MMEA) will open the Commanding Generals Retention Program (CGRP).  Similar to the QMI program for FTAP, the intent of the CGRP will be to allow Commanding Generals to retain uniquely qualified STAP Marines who did not receive a boatspace in the FY22 cohort.  This new program is inline with a more decentralized execution of the overall retention mission.  Each MSC will be afforded a specific number of CGRP approvals.  Guidance regarding the FY22 CGRP, including available boatspaces, will be developed following ECRB completion and will be published no later than March 2022.
5.b.3.  Requests submitted during Phase II for MOSs that were FFMs and subjected to an ECRB, will require an endorsement from the first O-6 in their chain of command.  This endorsement should provide justification for why the Marine did not submit prior to the ECRB.
5.c.  Critical MOSs that are eligible for lateral move submissions will be published by CMC(MMEA) via the FY22 Enlisted Retention submission guidelines.  Lateral move submissions for critical STAP MOSs begin on 7 July 2021.  Prior Service Enlistment Program (PSEP) submissions begin on 1 November 2021.
6.  The approval of a reenlistment is first and foremost based on the desire to retain the highest quality Marines.  CMC(MMEA) weighs all factors including Chain of Command comments, jeopardy on contract, MOS proficiency and competitiveness, and overall needs of the Marine Corps.  A Marine being in receipt of PCS orders is a factor weighed by CMC(MMEA); however, Marines should not take any actions toward executing their PCS until they are approved for the required obligated service.  It is critical that Marines in receipt of PCS orders maintain an open line of communication with their PMOS Monitor.
7.  Commanding Officers and senior enlisted leaders will properly inform and counsel all FTAP and STAP Marines of any disapproved retention request.
8.  Release authorized by BGen Michael J. Borgschulte, Director, Manpower Management Division.//